What put him over the top nationally was his criticism of Black Lives Matter, describing them as "ignorant in its purest form," "advocate for the overthrow of our legally constituted government," "Sub-human creeps," "it's a subversive movement." Here's the video, transcript below:

But Black Lives Matter provided an opening for Republicans to exploit their base voters deepest fears, by suggesting the movement is at fault for recently reported attacks on police officers.

Republicans went national, and Black Lives Matter responded. It was at an earlier protest in late October that gave Clarke and others the red meat for their voters to chew on.

Director Quentin Tarantino appeared on 'All In' to clarify his controversial comments about police brutality, which caused police unions around the country to call for a boycott of his new film.

In Tarantino's explanation, he brought up the crazy rantings of Sheriff Clarke (1:55). MSNBC:

What Milwaukee County voters were thinking when they voted for Clarke is still a mystery, and may be forever, if no one ever drills down in local polling.

Transcript:

BRIAN KILMEADE: Sheriff, your reaction to some of the sentiments you heard on the streets on Saturday?DAVID CLARKE: Well, it's just crazy talk. It's ignorance in its purest form ... I don't know why the police even bother policing those demonstrations. They're not protests. Those people advocate for the overthrow of our legally constituted government.KILMEADE: But the president says they have a point, Sheriff.CLARKE: What I would do is let them fend for themselves. Let the good law abiding people of New York clash with them for disrupting their lives, disrupting their businesses. Then the police can show up and arrest these sub-human creeps for creating a disturbance. That we can do.

Nothing like the First Amendment, right? But vilification and reducing protesters to something less than human is so rightwing authoritarian.

Scott Walker takes lead from Clarke: In a story at the appropriately
titled rightwing site “Hot Air,” Scott Walker penned this fine piece of opportunistic fear mongering:

We Need a Uniter-in-Chief, Not a Divider-in-Chief: Over the last week, we’ve seen a disturbing trend of police
officers being murdered on the job. Texas Sheriff’s Deputy Darren Goforth was
killed Friday, gunned down while pumping gas for no apparent reason other than
the uniform on his back. And just yesterday, in my neighboring state of
Illinois, police Lt. Charles Joseph Gliniewicz was assassinated by three men,
who are still on the run.This isn’t the America I grew up in or that I want my
children to grow up in. When the very people responsible for keeping us safe
are targeted because they are law enforcement officials, we have a serious
problem. In the last six years under President Obama, we’ve seen a rise in
anti-police rhetoric.

As is the always the case now with Republicans, when they're wrong, the always "double down" on their wrongness:

"I wouldn't back down at all, not at all," Walker
said Friday in Milwaukee. "The bottom line is the president and many
others have not done enough to stand up and defend law enforcement in this
country." "Obviously, the situation just south of the border is
tragic," Walker said. "But in no way does it diminish my
argument that the president and others need to point that law enforcement
overwhelmingly -- the men and women who wear the uniform in this country -- are
doing the right thing every single day. And they need leaders who are going to
stand up and defend them, and I for one am going to continue to do that."

Yes, turning a blind eye to the festering problem, and then brag about law enforcement they often criticize for not responding fast enough as they promote concealed carry.

But broad ridiculous sweeping generalizations fit that profile, and Clarke is only just getting started:

CLARKE: Well first of all, there is no police brutality in America. We ended that back in the sixties. So I don't know where they're coming from. You look at the data and the research, and there's a new Harvard study out that shows that there is no racism in the hearts of police officers. They go about their daily duty, if you will, to keep communities safe. The president of the United States knows better. He's playing the race game. He's playing race politics. Shame on him. He's been very divisive for this country. He has been a nightmare, and I cannot wait until January 2017 so that America's nightmare can be over.KILMEADE: Black Lives Matter, does it play an important role? First you, Sheriff.CLARKE: No, it's garbage. It's a subversive movement. Like I said, they advocate the overthrow of our legally constituted government. It is not a protest movement.ROD WHEELER: I think yes it does matter...CLARKE: It isn't valid, knock it off. You're contributing to the problem here. It is not valid, there is no research ... And I'm not going to let anybody come on TV and advocate that.WHEELER: Well yeah Sheriff, but you have to be, you have to be fair Sheriff ...CLARKE: I don't have to be fair. What I have to be is factual ... There are no valid arguments. There is no police brutality in the United States.

1 comment:

The rush to beatify Gliniewicz was shameless and right on par for the right-wing. What's even worse is Gliniewicz's extensive criminal past will not result in him having his character assasinated in the same way Faux News and the Conservative Internet Media did to the unarmed black men murdered by criminal cops.

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Politics: Just a guy tired of "compromising." Stop encouraging Republicans when it comes to their failed ideology.
I was once a liberal radio talk host. Played co-host to Vicki McKenna, a complete liar who can't can't stop filling the airwaves with mindless babble.
I'm someone who enjoys the the painful smiles of conservatives as they struggle to deny the avalanche of facts tumbling their way. They seem preoccupied with spelling and grammar.
Real Estate: I also hosted a real estate radio show.
Currently dabbling in part time work.